How life has changed in Hartlepool

Hartlepool's population increased by about 3,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 92,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Hartlepool increased by 3.9%, from just over 88,600 to 92,000.

The addition of about 3,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Hartlepool was home to, on average, 7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Hartlepool

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Hartlepool increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than the North East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 2,200 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 13.0% of people in Hartlepool are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North East and Hartlepool by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Hartlepool residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care remained close to 1.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 3.0%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care fell at the third fastest rate of all local authority districts across England. The improvement brought health in Hartlepool close to the regional average 1.6% in the North East described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Hartlepool remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North East and Hartlepool by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Hartlepool saw the North East's largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (44.9%) people aged 16 and over in Hartlepool said they were married, compared with 51.0% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 28.3% to 34.4%.

Across the region, Newcastle upon Tyne saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of married people (from 42.0% in 2001 to 36.5% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the North East saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 50.8% to 45.8%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the North East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the North East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Hartlepool residents that were unemployed increased from 5.5% to 7.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in two (49.0%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 47.6% in 2001. While the percentage of Hartlepool residents that were self-employed increased from 4.3% to 5.7%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the North East. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of unemployed people.

The rate of unemployment in Hartlepool increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Hartlepool, the North East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Hartlepool, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the North East, except South Tyneside.

Every local authority area across the North East saw a fall in the proportion of people working long hours, as the regional average fell from 10.6% to 8.4%.

Across the North East, the proportion of people working long hours fell from 10.6% to 8.4% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Stockton-on-Tees (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Hartlepool) fell from 10.9% to 8.7%.

Long hour working in Hartlepool decreased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Hartlepool, the North East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Hartlepool

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Hartlepool was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.4 points.

In 2011, 23.8% of respondents in Hartlepool gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 10.4% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.8% to 24.9%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Hartlepool, 74.7% said they were Christian, compared with 88.8% in 2001. About 0.8% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism increased from 0.1% to 0.2%.

In Hartlepool, 6.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 9.1% in 2001. Across the North East, 6.1% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Hartlepool increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North East and Hartlepool by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Hartlepool

Hartlepool saw the North East's third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 17 (5.8%) in Hartlepool reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.4% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.7% to 5.0%.

Across the region, only Newcastle upon Tyne (from 6.3% to 5.4%) and Middlesbrough (from 6.3% to 5.4%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Hartlepool that rented privately increased from 8.0% to 14.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in four (23.5%) households lived in social housing, compared with 26.5% in 2001. The percentage of Hartlepool households that owned their home decreased from 62.8% to 59.8%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 13.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Hartlepool increased by 6.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Hartlepool, the North East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Hartlepool residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12.3% to 8.1% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (76.0%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64.2% in 2001. The percentage of Hartlepool residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.5% to 15.9%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 12.0% in 2001 to 7.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Hartlepool decreased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Hartlepool, the North East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Hartlepool, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.1% to 10.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in three (33.1%) households had only one person, compared with 30.5% in 2001. The percentage of households in Hartlepool which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 36.0% to 31.1%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 7.8% in 2001 to 10.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Hartlepool increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Hartlepool, the North East and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in Hartlepool at a faster rate than across England.

In Hartlepool, the proportion of households without children increased from 57.7% in 2001 to 59.9% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61.1% to 61.2%.

Across the North East, the share of households without children increased from 59.6% to 61.6%.

The proportion of households with children in Hartlepool fell from 32.2% to 29.9%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 10.3%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the North East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the North East and the average across England, March 2011

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